King Mohammed VI has extended an invitation to Nigeria President Bola Ahmed Adekunle Tinubu to visit Morocco during a phone exchange that took place today.
A statement from the royal palace said that the two leaders discussed the development of bilateral relations between Morocco and Nigeria over the past few years.
The discussion also covered the African-Atlantic Gas Pipeline, which is a structuring project between Nigeria and Morocco that will be a strategic lever for regional integration and socio-economic development for all West African countries.
Initiated in 2016 first by King Mohammed VI and former president of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari, the pipeline aims to promote regional integration and reinforce Africa’s energy security. Morocco is set to host over 1600 kilometers of the project, which is 5,600 kilometers long in total.
King Mohammed VI has frequently emphasized the importance of the project, reiterating Morocco’s commitment to the pipeline project with Nigeria.In November 2023, during a speech the King gave commemorating the Green March, he stressed the potential benefits that the pipeline could bring not only to Africa but also to Europe.
“The Morocco-Nigeria gas pipeline strategic project is part of that endeavor,” he said, referring to the purpose of the project; to promote regional integration and boost economic growth.
The pipeline is set to connect over 11 countries in the region to benefit from Nigerian gas sources.
Many countries have endorsed the project, including Senegal.
In December, Senegal’s Minister of Petroleum, Antoine Felix Abdoulaye Diome, renewed his country’s support during a meeting in Dakar with the Director General of Morocco’s Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines (ONHYM), Amina Benkhadra.
During the meeting, the Senegalese official said that the “ambitious” gas pipeline will benefit the populations and economies of the entire region. He also cited a “specific program” planned by Morocco and Senegal to advance the project and strengthen South-South cooperation among all countries in the region.
